Tag Archive for: layering

Janet Franz

Weird Weather: Rethinking Ski Clothes For A Fickle Climate

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Let’s Review The Basics Of Layering To Deal With Changing Weather.

Sun, fog, snow all in one day. How do you dress for that? Credit: Janet Franz

Here in New England, temperatures swing high and low a lot lately, with 50-degree-plus spikes and heavy rains interposing snow squalls and blizzards. This winter seems hell-bent on convincing the last climate change denier that something weird is going on. Accurately assessing atmospheric conditions for a day on the slopes can challenge even the most seasoned skiers.

Stan Kosmider, field representative for The North Face, presented on “How to Dress for Cold Temperatures” at the Northeast Weather Summit at Stratton Mountain Resort in December. Credit: Martin Griff

Stan Kosmider, field representative for The North Face, talked with winter sports enthusiasts recently about packing for a multi-day cold weather adventure. “It could be a bluebird day, but the next day it’s pouring rain and icy,” he said. “So pack everything you own and plan on layers. You can remove or add clothes so that you never feel too hot or too cold.”

Three main layers provide for moisture management, heat retention and exterior protection.

Base: The most crucial layer for temperature and moisture control is the first one—your underwear. Skin sweats even when the air is cold, and if the perspiration soaks in to your long johns, the wet clothes will suck the heat out of your body, making you cold.

“The base layer gets moisture off your body and into the atmosphere,” explained Kosmider. This prevents excessive sweating, which can cause additional heat loss, especially when you slow down or stop to rest.

Look for under garments made of lightweight, breathable, wicking fabrics such as a synthetic (usually polyester) fiber, silk or ultra-fine merino wool. Avoid cotton, which absorbs and retains moisture, keeping the skin beneath it clammy and cold. A comfortably snug fit everywhere is essential, because to wick sweat efficiently, your next-to-skin layer must actually touch your skin.

Insulating: The middle layer’s job is to capture and retain body heat that radiates from your body, Kosmider explained. The more efficiently this layer traps heat, the warmer you will feel. Insulated jackets and sweaters come in a range of weights and synthetic and natural insulation choices abound. Down sweaters offer wind resistance but lose insulating efficiency when damp. Synthetic insulations mimic down’s efficiency, with better water resistance. Polyester fleece (not cotton fleece) is a great choice because it stays warm even when damp and dries fast. Fleece fabrics come in a range of plushness and thickness. Microfleece is thin and does a great job of wicking moisture away from the body.

For maximum temperature regulation, insulating clothing should fit close to the body, “snug, not baggy, and you should not have to size down,” Kosmider said. “The fabric should be thick enough to layer and be breathable,” so avoid thick fleece (more than 300 weight) or heavy wool sweaters. Fabrics with insulation-filled bubbles or ripples trap heat well.

Outer: The exterior layer, generally a shell jacket and pants, must do three things: block the wind, keep out rain and snow and allow sweat vapor to escape. Shells range from pricey mountaineering coats to simple wind-resistant jackets, but “even a $600 shell is worthless if you don’t have the right clothes underneath it,” said Kosmider.

Shell insulation types include down (again, warm but not waterproof), synthetic down (such as Primaloft, made from recycled plastic). “Down has the highest weight to warmth ratio, but when it gets wet it’s not warm. So, in this environment, it’s not reliable, and synthetic insulators are a better choice,” Kosmider explained. Shells with zippers and vents allow you to cool off without stripping down.

Shells may be waterproof/breathable for full-on squall conditions with high activity (they wick sweat but keep rain out) or water resistant/breathable for drizzly, breezy conditions and high activity. Avoid waterproof/non-breathable coats unless you plan to stand around in the rain (they keep precipitation out and trap sweat within). Kosmider recommends shells treated with a durable water repellent finish such as Gore-Tex – a rubberized, waterproof, breathable coating that allows water molecules to hold their shape, bead up and rolls off the surface.

Head, Face, Fingers and Toes

It’s not a myth that body heat escapes through the head, hands and feet. If you’re skiing or snowboarding, you should be wearing a helmet, which will keep your head warm. Look for a helmet with vents to let the heat out on warm days. For very cold days, don a skull cap or balaclava made of wicking fabric, because heads sweat, too. Liner socks and liner gloves keep feet and hands dry. Pack extra liners for extra sweaty days. A neck gaiter or face mask keeps the wind off cheeks and nose. Buffs serve the same purpose and work well as a headband to cover up “helmet hair” apres ski.

Product care

Ski clothes can be costly, but well cared for garments will last for many years, and layers will work best if cared for properly. Tiny pores in water-repellent fabrics become clogged with dirt and oils from skin, requiring periodic washing to remove debris and revive their breathability. Gore-Tex makes a special detergent for its products, but any liquid detergent without dyes, scents or fabric softeners will work. Dry garments in the dryer—without fabric softener— to reactivate the waterproof coating.

Down garments should also go into the dryer, without fabric softener. Use low heat, and place tennis balls or toddler’s shoes in the pockets to thrash the garments around so they will fluff up.

You can’t control the weather, but if you bring all your layering choices with you to the slopes, you can easily adapt as conditions change.

 

Val E

Layering Redux: More Tips For Senior Skiers

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What A Modern Senior Skier Needs To Know About Layers.

Body mapping clothing--allocating insulation in different zones--is an innovative idea being used by clothing manufacturers. Credit: Berghaus

Body mapping clothing–allocating insulation in different zones–is an innovative idea being used by clothing manufacturers.
Credit: Berghaus

[Editor Note: Last September, SeniorsSkiing.com published an article about layering prompted by an unfortunate experience in extremely cold weather when we over-layered and paid the price for it. This year, here’s a list of tips from Val E., our new correspondent who has deep background in the ski industry. He’s bringing us up to date on the new technology view of layering. Here’s his advice.]

Thoughts On Hats, Gloves, Socks:

  • A thin skull cap (1/32 inch thick) doesn’t add much warmth to a helmet (which has about an inch of foam). However, a balaclava protects your face, neck areas exposed to cold air.
  • Let’s be real, glove liners (very thin gloves made out of silk, wool or synthetic fabric) add very little warmth to a decent pair of gloves. They also separate your fingers if you’re wearing outer mittens. But liners do keep your hands drier by taking moisture off your skin, and, most importantly, they protect your skin from exposure when you take your outer gloves off.
  • Socks must be skiing-specific,(i.e., not hunting socks, etc.) made of a synthetic or wool/synthetic combination. And, a ski sock must be knee high, no exceptions. All real ski socks are, anyway. Thicker is not always better, because comfort, staying dry and avoiding blisters are critical. Avoid old school equally thick tube shape socks. And, only one sock per boot! Never use sock liner, no matter what the propaganda says. Feel cold? Get the boot fitting right, install heaters, take a break inside.

 Base Layer Thoughts:

  • Lightweight (thick as a nylon sock) –For warm weather or people who “run hot”
  • Midweight (thick as a cotton t-shirt) –For most conditions or most people
  • Heavyweight (thick as a warm flannel) –For cold conditions or people who “run cold”
  • Three-quarter base layer pants are relatively new and very practical, because a skier doesn’t need to have pants extend into the boots which can get bunched up and cause comfort and  circulation problems.
  •  Compression base layers (shirts, pants, socks) are becoming more popular. Manufacturers claim they support muscles, improve recovery time, and more. There are skiers who love them and skiers who don’t. Try a pair of compression socks to see what you think. [Editor Note: See our article on Injinji compression toe socks here.]
  • These days, some base and mid layers have extended sleeves with so called thumb loops to keep the sleeves in place. Majority of outer jackets on the market have sleeves cut longer than we are accustomed to. You can adjust them with Velcro closures. The idea is to keep the wrist area well covered for people of different height.

Outer Layer Thoughts:

If you ski most of the time in:

  • Wet conditions (high humidity, wet snow, rain, wind), then stick to pants and jackets made of the best waterproof/breathable fabric (Gore-tex, Dermizax).
  • Dry climate and not very cold conditions with moderate snowfall, you can select clothing made of any breathable membrane fabric.
  • Warm conditions with no or limited precipitation,  then try a soft shell jacket. These are highly breathable, windproof and water resistant (but not waterproof!).
  • Many companies use the idea of mapping insulation or “body-mapped clothing” in mid and outer layers, putting more insulation in the zones, where the skiers need them most. Mapping for women and men is different.

For an in-depth discussion of technical clothing of all kinds, check out this article from the European Outdoor Conservation Association.

And here’s a short video produced by Berghaus on its experiments with body mapped outer layers in Greenland. Worth a look.

Jon Weisberg

Product Review: NuDown Parkas and Vests Use Pumped Air to Stay Warm

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Reduces Layering. Improves On-Hill Comfort.

For the past several weeks, I’ve been skiing in a NuDown parka designed to keep you comfortable regardless of outside temperature and without dressing in multiple layers. It utilizes a hand-operated air pump system to create an adjustable layer of air, which, warmed by the body, serves as an effective insulator against the elements.

Here's the Nudown parka I tested. Removes the hassle of layering. Credit: Nudown

Here’s the NuDown parka I tested. Removes the hassle of layering.
Credit: NuDown

It works. My problem is that, given the relatively warm temperatures since using the parka, I’ve been unable to test it in extreme cold conditions.

Between the outer and inner shells is a bladder with a zigzag pattern of air chambers. A small and easy to use hand pump in the left pocket inflates the chambers. On brisk mornings, I’ve found that 15 pumps is sufficient to be comfortable. Later, when it warms, I press the release valve, which deflates the parka.

Typically, the more cold I expect, the more layers I wear, a technique that can get a bit bulky and result in in overheating as the day warms.

This parka, new to the market, and going by the name NuDown, eliminates the layering hassle. Having used it in not overly cold conditions, my positive experience and common sense tells me that it should perform effectively when it gets truly frigid.

The NuDown parka also is good-looking, even when fully inflated. And it sports a neat little zipper pocket near the left wrist for an RFID lift pass—the increasingly popular lift-pass technology used to open gate to the lift. Simply wave your arm to enter and save the chest pocket for your cell phone. A very nice detail.

The zip-off hood is sized to cover a helmet.

There’s been a lot written about improvements in down and being sensitive to the animal rights issues associated with down production. Some downs are processed not to clump when wet. Some are advertised as being humane. NuDown substitutes air for feathers. It lets you leave the layers at home, and it lets you adjust the air insulation so you can be comfortable in a variety of conditions. In the lodge, it’s a conversation starter when people ask about the zigzag air chambers, especially when inflated.

It’s not as light as down, but, in my experience, that’s not an issue.

NuDown technology currently is available in men’s and women’s parkas and vests. It will be available at retail in the fall and, like most everything else in the world, is available on line. Currently the NuDown site is offering a 30 percent discount.